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SPNer

And Muslims all over the world to the health and happiness
allah says in the Holy Qur'an

185. The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan ie is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [ of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah [ie to say Takbir (Allahu-Akbar; Allah is the Most Great) on seeing the crescent of the months of Ramadan and Shawwal] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.

Muslims spend the ninth month of the Islamic calendar observing a community-wide fast. The annual fast of Ramadan is considered one of the five "pillars" of Islam. Muslims who are physically able are required to fast each day of the entire month, from sunrise to sunset. The evenings are spent enjoying family and community meals, engaging in prayer and spiritual reflection, and reading from the Qu'ran.

Aside from the five-times-daily prayer, fasting during the month of Ramadan is the most visible and recognizable of Muslim acts the world over. During the 30-odd days of Ramadan, Muslims are required to fast during daylight hours, drinks included, and abstain from bodily pleasures like sex or other forms of sensual abandon. The focus is on humility, spiritual oneness with God and social oneness with the umma, or Islamic community, across the globe.

Fasting in Islam has its origins in Judaism, Christianity and the pre-Islamic Arab world. Although Ramadan is when Muslims fast most, they may fast voluntarily the rest of the year, or fast three days a month, or six days during the month of Sawwal, which follows the month of Ramadan, or fast on Mondays and Thursdays. Each of these proscriptions is recognized in Islam.

prophet Muhammad peace be upon him once said, "If one does not abandon falsehood in words and deeds, Allah has no need for his abandoning of food and drink." It is therefore imperative that the fasting person not only refrains from food and drink, but also from foul speech, lying, arguing, and the like.

Muslims are called upon to use this month to re-evaluate their lives in light of Islamic guidance. We are to make peace with those who have wronged us, strengthen ties with family and friends, do away with bad habits - essentially to clean up our lives, our thoughts, and our feelings. The Arabic word for "fasting" (sawm) literally means "to refrain" - and it means not only refraining from food and drink, but from evil actions, thoughts, and words.

During Ramadan, every part of the body must be restrained. The tongue must be restrained from backbiting and gossip. The eyes must restrain themselves from looking at unlawful things. The hand must not touch or take anything that does not belong to it. The ears must refrain from listening to idle talk or obscene words. The feet must refrain from going to sinful places. In such a way, every part of the body observes the fast.

During the fast, Muslims experience hunger and thirst and learn to sympathize with those in the world who have little to eat. They come to appreciate the blessings that Allah grants them. Through increased charity during the month, Muslims develop feelings of generosity and goodwill toward others. And since all Muslims in the world are undergoing the same experience at the same time, this practice strengthens community bonds throughout the Muslim world.

The Qur'an commands as follows: "Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was sent down, as a guide to mankind, and clear signs for guidance and judgment between right and wrong. So every one of you who is present at his home during that month should spend it in fasting. But if anyone is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period should be made up by days later "(Qur'an 2:185). Therefore, every Muslim is required to fast, with the following exceptions:

Travelers

Those who are suffering from a temporary illness

The elderly or chronically ill

Women in menses or postchildbirth bleeding

Pregnant or nursing women

Children who have not yet reached adolescence

If possible, missed days are to be made up at a later time. If the reason for exception is long-term, then the missed days may be compensated for by giving in charity enough to feed one poor person for each day of fasting.

Children are not required to fast until they reach puberty. However, many children like to join in the activities of the family and try to fast for a day or part of a day. Sometimes they will fast on the weekends, for example, or will fast from noon until sunset. This is encouraged as practice for the day when fasting will be incumbent upon them.

On a day of fasting, Muslims rise before dawn for an early meal called suhoor. This light meal is intended to nourish the body through the rigorous daylong fast. The fast begins with the predawn call to prayer. Muslims continue through their daily lives of work, school, or other commitments, conscious of the limitations of fasting, and striving to be on their best behavior. Muslims continue to observe the daily prayers as usual and often spend part of the day reading chapters of the Qur'an.

As sunset approaches, Muslims often gather together as family or community to break the fast and enjoy a meal together at the end of the day. Muslims break their fast just as the call to prayer for the sunset prayer is heard. Following the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, Muslims often break their fast by eating dates and drinking some milk. After the sunset prayers, they sit down together for an evening meal called fitoor (technically, "breakfast").

In the evening, Muslims gather at the mosque for special prayers called taraweeh. These extra prayers are offered each night of Ramadan. Every evening, a section of the Qur'an will be read in a long prayer, so that by the end of the month the entire Qur'an will have been heard. Muslims also spend time visiting with friends and relatives before retiring for the night to rest before starting the fast again the next day.

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SPNer

RIYADH: Saudi authorities warned non-Muslim expatriates on Friday, the first day of Ramzan, not to eat, drink, or smoke in public until the end of the Muslim holy month's sunrise-to-sunset fast or face expulsion.

The interior ministry of the oil-rich kingdom called on expatriates to "show consideration for feelings of Muslims" and "preserve the sacred Islamic rituals." Otherwise, a ministry statement said, Saudi authorities will cancel violators' work contracts and expel them.

Sawa lakh se EK larraoan

MentorWriterSPNerContributor

RIYADH: Saudi authorities warned non-Muslim expatriates on Friday, the first day of Ramzan, not to eat, drink, or smoke in public until the end of the Muslim holy month's sunrise-to-sunset fast or face expulsion.

The interior ministry of the oil-rich kingdom called on expatriates to "show consideration for feelings of Muslims" and "preserve the sacred Islamic rituals." Otherwise, a ministry statement said, Saudi authorities will cancel violators' work contracts and expel them.

SAME here...respect is earned..not legislated..so if some muslims bring along a severed cow head and stomp on in public..then the Hindus are supposed to take it quietly because muslims are majority...BUT if a kindergarten boy/girl of hindu faith/ non-muslim faith... takes out an apple during recess to eat..he gets publicly reprimanded for hurting muslim sentiments and is taken out by discipline master headmaster and denounced in school assembly...endless list...ISLAM is a Beautiful Religion but certain muslims make it look bad...National Schools are meant to be National..not "religious"

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SPNer

Yes, my sister
If a pregnant woman has a strong health
Are easily able to fast (no problem)
But
Most of the cases
Pregnant women can not fast
Due to the fear on their health
Or on the fetus
Or her health and embryo together

For each case
Law in Jurisprudence and the expiation of different
allah guided you

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SPNer

Why in Islam this particular month is considered as the holiest? What about the other months, what Islam thinks about other months?

Secondly, God resides in minutest of each & every moment or say can God is Omnipresent. They why 1 particular month to impress God ?

I have seen my Muslim friends in college - they don't utter a single bad word, or drink or smoke in Ramadan but as soon as it's over they are back to their normal life. So why this indifference?

I apologize if I hurt anybody's feeling as I do not intend to do so. It's just a quest that comes to mind often during Ramadan.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh ....

Click to expand...

yes my brother

Allah Almighty
In all the time and everywhere (see us and hear us)
4. He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then Istawa (rose over) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be. And Allah is the All-Seer of what you do.

Must be adhered to and the application of Islamic law
In all the days of the year

But
As a result of many misconceptions originate from young people
Interest in the month of Ramadan
And indifference in the remaining months

So
You find errors
And acts of random people
But
Islam has nothing to do so
Must reform
And return to the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith

Holy Month of Ramadan
Reward and pay double
And down the Blessings and compassion
Some of the virtues of Ramadan:
• Abu Hurayrah may Allah be pleased with him that the Prophet peace be upon him: (Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven) agreed.

• The meaning of the hadeeth: Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan, a believer and reward sincere in his fast and his request of reward from Allah alone, the forgiveness of sins small reward on the right of God.
• Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said: (If the Ramadan opened the doors of Paradise and closed the doors of Hell and the devils are chained up) agreed.

• but open the doors of paradise in this month of the many good deeds, and carrots for workers, and close the gates of Hell for a few sins of the people of faith (and the devils are chained up): the limit is not up to what they were up to in the other.

Abu Huraira related that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. Whoever prays during the nights in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. And he who passes Lailat al-Qadr in prayer with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven (Bukhari, Muslim).

I think in Sikhi the fruit of our good and bad deeds is obvious. If a bad person is blessed, they will realise their bad ways and turn to good deeds and focus on Naam. This is the only way they can make progress in the right direction. The sinner reaps his own punishment by not mending his ways. If he never realises Naam his precious human life is wasted and he suffers. It is as simple as that.

Sikhi doesn't believe that being extra good for one month will clear your 'sins'. It is a life-long process of acceptance, working to be a good person and begging for the dust of the feet of Guruji so that you'll be blessed to understand, by Gurprasad.

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WriterSPNer

Very nice Ishnaji, all sins can be forgiven by the One.
It's this realisation that you point out that the sinner eventually realises. Most people when they are sinning don't actually realise just how bad their sin is- most of them know that they may be doing wrong, but don't accept it to be 'that bad!!'

Many of us sin and we don't even realise it!!
I, myself, have in the past done many deeds that I thought nothing of at the time. I have now realised just how 'bad' they were and would now consider them as sins !!

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WriterSPNer

As sikhs, we are blessed with every single day and month, no such festive season as ramadan.

With reference to the fasting done by muslims during this time- I cannot help notice how some of them will make a hard slog through the day without any food and then when comes the evening when they may eat, instead of just consuming their normal evening supper- greedily, they indulge in a full blown gastronomical feast with lots of wasted food that you would get at party like events!!!!-

-Question- IS THIS THE CORRECT APPROACH ??
IF SO, Then what does the FASTING actually TEACH????
What sprititual value does THIS fasting and overindulging later actually give one ???

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Sawa lakh se EK larraoan

MentorWriterSPNerContributor

Over Here they OVERFEED/GORGE around 5am...and then begin sallivating around 3PM..and really GORGE again at break of fast...a very tiny MINORITY actually do the right thing. Thats why the Month sees FOOD expenditures SOAR to double triple...how is that ??
Just like Bad SIKHS..these are not how Good Muslims behave...mere rituals/Lip service..... dont please Him..

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SPNer

Fasting
Fundamental pillar of the five pillars of Islam
Its purpose is not hunger and thirst

But
Is a renewal of human life
And a strong drive and ready to work good
And training
And the beginning of change

Prayer and charity and helping the poor, and so

And reward multiplier

Narrated Abu Salama bin 'Abdur Rahman: that he asked 'Aisha "How was the prayer of Allah's Apostle in Ramadan?" She replied, "He did not pray more than eleven Rakat in Ramadan or in any other month. He used to pray four Rakat ---- let alone their beauty and length----and then he would pray four ----let alone their beauty and length ----and then he would pray three Rakat (Witr)." She added, "I asked, 'O Allah's Apostle! Do you sleep before praying the Witr?' He replied, 'O 'Aisha! My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep."

As well as

Refinement of the ethics of human

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, "When one of you awakes in the morning for fasting, then he should not use obscene language or behave ignorantly. If anyone slanders him or tries to argue with him, he should say: Indeed, I am fasting! Indeed, I am fasting! "

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SPNer

Things do not invalidate the fast:
• wet dream during fasting does not break the fast, the lack of willful intent and agreement of the scholars.
• It got him to vomit without choosing him when he was fasting, but did not break his fast, his fast is valid for saying peace be upon him: (from help vomiting - the drop and oppression - do not eliminate it).

• What is included in the throat without the choice of dust or flies, and other things that can not be avoided, it does not invalidate the fast, the lack of intent. Did not mean that the unthinking, heedless, and is costly to the verse: God Punish us not if we forget or fall. And saying peace be upon him: (pardoned for my error and what they forget it).

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SPNer

Yes, but how does fasting actually help you become more spiritual and how can you justify it ?

Click to expand...

Yes, my dear brother
It's simple

In fastingThe need to should lower their gazeAnd distance from the act of tabooAnd not to say obscene words

If the person is wont to do those things and then suddenly left for the arrival of RamadanWhat you will feel?HereFeeling will change and feel the awe of the importance of fasting and RamadanTherefore, the first case is quite different from the new change

In Ramadan
Everyone becomes ready
the soul and conscience

This month of mercy
This month of forgiveness
Here I can make up
What rolls of amusement and indifference
God will see me I pray
I pay alms in secret and in public
I read the Qur'an and I cried in prayer seeking forgiveness

And thus see the mosques are full
And people to not sleep

Spirituality is high
And a lot of people repent in Ramadan
And so
Beginning of a change for the better

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